Whale Watch Cruise in Kaikoura
- Whale Watch Kaikoura is New Zealand’s ultimate whale watching experience that's available all-year round
- Kaikoura is 2.5-hour scenic drive away from Christchurch with beautiful countryside views and is rated one of the best whale watching spots in the world
- Get up close up with giant sperm whales, the largest toothed predators
- An impressive 95% success rate means that you are guaranteed an 80% refund if your tour does not spot a whale!
What to expect
Go on a scenic 2.5-hour drive north of Christchurch and enjoy breathtaking rural views of North Canterbury on your way to Kaikoura — one of the best whale watching spots in the world.
Arrive at the port, hop into a sailboat, and cruise around Kaikoura for an almost guaranteed whale sighting. In fact, this whale watching tour has a 95% success rate and, in the very rare case that you will not see a whale on the trip, you will get an 80% refund.
Make sure to keep your camera handy for when the mighty giant sperm whale reveals itself. Take plenty of photos from the boat, which allows you to get really close to the marine animals, and enjoy the ultimate whale watching experience!




























Good to know
- Before your trip, please check the latest weather forecast on the operator’s website, as conditions can change quickly and updates will be posted online to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience
VIP Captain’s Cabin
- Capacity is limited to 12 passengers
- Priority boarding and transport
- Business class seating
- Seats are angled outwards to maximize views through the large windows
- The cabin is air conditioned
- Water fountain provided
- A large screen displays our award-winning marine wildlife animations
- A full tour narration is provided
- Access to all other passenger areas on the vessel
- Locally made food box and cold drinks
- An exclusive viewing area on the top deck
Reviews
I recently took a whale watch cruise in Kaikoura, New Zealand, and it was fantastic. The staff were great, and we were lucky to see whales three times! The stunning coastline made it even better. And we also watch thousand over of Dophins ! Highly recommend!
Hehe, it was so much fun ㅠㅠ I really like whales, so I got to see it up close. If you want to see the whales up close, choose a boat, or if you want to see the whales in their entirety, choose a helicopter. But after being on the bow, it moves towards the whale like a speedboat, and it's just like riding an amusement ride. It's so much fun🥹👍🏻 I think I saw the whale two or three times. I glanced at the tail and body, and it was disappointing that the whale didn't jump as high as I expected, but it was an unfamiliar experience :) There were people who got seasick because the boat was bouncing up and down so much.
exchange a pass at the office for boarding the bus to the port and the ferry. during the cruise, nice explanation about the marine. can observe it from a distance, nice and fun.
seamless experience changing the klook voucher for tickets! was pretty excited till the boat started moving... it was such a bumpy ride finding the whales 🥲🥲🥲 felt sooooo sea sick throughout, despite eating medicine. there was a couple of ppl puking into paper bags provided by the staff too, not just me. managed to see ard 2-3 whales but couldn't enjoy myself at all.
Personally, I like natural scenery more than animals, so it wasn't a great course, but I recommend it to those who, unlike me, really want to see whales. I've seen a whale's tail a couple of times, and they say you're lucky if you see the tail. The tail itself is said to be 4-5 meters long, but it doesn't look very big because you see it from a distance. (Just looking at the sea is nice, but it's better not to expect too much.) I didn't get sick because I took motion sickness medication, but I saw one person who suffered from motion sickness. It is recommended that you take motion sickness medication beforehand! When you go out to sea, it's quite cold and the wind is very strong. (It doesn't matter if you're on board) I didn't wear sunglasses, but there were a lot of people wearing sunglasses. I couldn't understand because I don't speak English, but I thought the guide was interesting. I especially liked the video that was shown on the TV.
amazing whale watching experience . from reception to drop of , everything was perfect . the crew was also good
A very memorable experience for us in New Zealand. the voucher is easy to redeem. will definitely recommend to others
We were lucky to see 2 sperm whales. It was awesome. The vessel ride was windy and strong waves (we were given heads up prior if we want to cancel or change to other date), please prepare motion sickness pill. It’s expensive to buy from the gift shop. Next we would opt for heli ride to see whale from aerial view.
witnessed 3 sperm whales, a pod of dolphins and seal pups. gosh, we indeed have such great luck doing our whale watching today
A very well run operation. The departure point had amazing views. We sighted 2 whales with the help of very knowledgeable crew.
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